Don't Sell Website Design, Sell Business Tools

If you're a freelancer or run a web design agency, most of you may think you're selling website. That you're selling website design, development, online shops to people or businesses. You're doing it wrong.

Want to make more money from your web design skills? Don't sell website design or development - sell business tools.

When a client comes to you to make them a website, they don't actually know what they really want (well most don't anyway). Most clients will think, "I want a pretty looking website where I can sell my products or services". What they actually want is a way to make them more money, to sell more products and get their business out there to a bigger audience. Their website just isn't a website, it's a business tool which helps them make more money.

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Don't ever sell the technology. Your websites may be WordPress based but don't ever tell your clients the technology you're using - they don't need to know, unless they specifically ask. That's what you're there for, to handle all the technical bits they don't have a clue about.

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Let's use one of my own examples.

A client came to me asking for a website - a simple e-commerce store where they wanted to sell their apparel. They also wanted a blog where they could connect social profiles such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

I asked to see their business and the goods they sell to get a feel of what the business is all about.

I asked questions such as:

How regularly will you be updating your catalogue? Is it once a week, once a month or once every few months?

How will you be getting the word out about your regular catalogue updates? Email newsletter?

Do you have a dedicated blogger/social media marketer?

I would then go into suggesting other services they may need. Such as SEO, logo design, identity packages, photography...etc.

In the end I didn't just sell a website which sells apparel. I also sold content management training, copywriting training, blogging training, social media training, product photography training, email templates, email training, SEO services, logo design, business card design, letter head design, invoice design and a few other services.

Because of all these different services I sold, I was able to charge a hell of a lot more than I would have just for website design. And I clearly stated all the way through that it's a business tool - not just a website any 14-year-old in his basement could make. This tool would become an essential part of the clients business, just how their suppliers were an essential part of their business, just how the Royal Mail was an essential part to delivering their goods...you get the idea.

So next time you acquire a new client, sell business tools, not just a website. It's all about the wording.